It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Gift giving is an integral part of Christmas, but what if you are on a budget?
Here are some money-saving tips to help keep the yuletide cost of buying presents for family, friends and loved ones down. You don’t have to feel like Scrooge at Christmastime if you follow this practical advice.
Recycle old Christmas presents
They say with Christmas presents, it’s the thought that counts. We’ve all been there when someone has bought us something that, try as we might and grateful as we are to receive a gift, just isn’t any use to us.
That doesn’t mean that someone else wouldn’t better appreciate the present, though. You have to be careful not to give the gift back to the person who sent it to you of course, but recycling is part of the festive season.
You wouldn’t be the only one recycling at Christmas time, either. A survey from February 2019 found that 26% of people in the UK re-gift Christmas presents. If that’s not enough to convince you, a look at the Christmas number one odds, might give you a new perspective on recycling gifts. There are a number of much-loved re-entries, re-releases and cover versions of old songs vying for the top spot in the charts come the big day.
If pop stars are recycling old songs, then why shouldn’t you join the other 26% of people do the same with presents? The only cost you incur is wrapping them up and postage, with the gift itself being free.
Make your own gifts
Nothing adds the personal touch quite like a Christmas present that you have made yourself. Here, you are investing in raw materials, your own creativity and time rather than big money.
If the recipient of your gift knows or can see that it has been homemade, then that can make them feel special. This only adds to the magic of giving gifts.
Homemade advent calendars, Christmas cards, and crackers are all popular elements in and around the festive season, so it’s not a stretch to extend that to presents if the feeling takes you. There are all sorts of ideas for yuletide gifts that you can make yourself.
Use gift bags rather than wrapping paper
When you are wrapping up your presents, the gift wrap can probably only be used once. After the person receiving your gift gets into it, the wrapping paper gets ripped and torn as they reveal what you have sent them.
Resealable gift bags are becoming ever more popular, and the great thing about them is that they can be used more than once. You can buy these in bulk online or in the shops.
Using a gift bag for your presents can actually be better than wrapping them up the traditional way. If, for instance, you are sending a bottle of wine or festive spirits to someone, then there are tailor-made bags shaped and designed to withstand the weight of such objects.
The advantage of gift bags, compared to wrapping paper, is that it’s a money-saving way of reducing waste and that helps us to have a more environmentally friendly Christmas. You’re doing your bit to keep the festive season green by using them.
